The Awkward Conversation
by IConsiderYouAllTheTime
Summary: Was a one-shot, now a collection of awkward moments and situations involving Ste and Doug! Thank you to those who convinced me to do this :
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: Don't own Hollyoaks. **

"I've done something really stupid," Doug thought to himself as he waited for Ste to join him in the Deli early Saturday morning. "Why did I agree to get the money off Brendan? Ste is going to hate me when he finds out."

After Ste had opened up to him about his past relationship, if you could call it that, with Brendan, Doug had been determined to get the Deli for Ste. Somehow this had resulted in him taking up Brendan's offer. He had tried to throw the bid but Brendan found out and had somehow managed to make sure they got Cincerity. Ste had trusted him. Now Brendan had a hold over him again and it was all Doug's fault.

The only upsides were that Ste doesn't ever need to find out and now they had a kitchen of their own. Doug only got the money off Brendan in the first place so that they could prove to the world that they weren't a waste of space. He wanted to make something of himself and he wanted to do it with Ste. Ste was in the same mindset as Doug but he also had two kids who he wanted to be able to spoil. Doug saw the way Ste was with Leah and Lucas. He was a natural father.

Ste interrupted Doug's thoughts as he flung open the door to the Deli, shutting it quickly to keep out the cold April wind. "Oh good, you're 'ere already," Ste looked around their new property as he took off his jacket. "Well you could have at least started without me!" Ste joked as he watched Doug sitting on an old stool drinking tea.

"Well that wouldn't have been fair would it?" Doug laughed. This was their first proper day working on the Deli. They had received the news only yesterday that it was theirs (kind of) and had decided to start immediately on renovating the place.

"Do you want some?" Doug asked holding up his mug.

"Yeah I'll go put the kettle on. Again." Ste mock glared at Doug as he headed into what would be the Deli's kitchen. When he returned into the main area, he found Doug had put on his overalls ready to begin painting.

"Lookin' good." Ste laughed as he checked out Doug's outfit.

"Oh don't worry Ste! I brought some for you too!" Doug grinned at Ste as he held out the identical dungarees.

Ste sighed as he took the overalls from Doug and put them on. "Only 'cos I don't want me jeans to get dirty."

Ste watched as Doug laughed and turned to pick up the paint pot. "Why are there two handprints on your backside?" he blurted out before he could stop himself.

Doug craned his neck to try and see what Ste was on about. "I didn't even realise there was. I borrowed them from Texas…" he trailed off as he noticed the worried look on Ste's face. "What?"

"I'm sorry. I weren't looking at your backside on purpose. It were an accident. I weren't checking you out or anythin'."

Doug turned to face Ste fully to see that his arms were crossed over his front, like he was bracing himself for something. "What? I know that- oh." Doug suddenly understood why Ste was being paranoid. After his relationship with Brendan, he was mind washed into expecting a beating. If he had said anything like that to Brendan it would have resulted in a black eye or a split lip. Guilt washed over Doug for the one hundredth time that day.

"Ste, I'm not going to hurt you! I know you were joking about."

Ste's arms lowered as he relaxed. "Okay. I were just making sure."

"We're friends Ste. You can joke about with me, hell, you can check me out if you want," Doug winked. "No one else is going to."

Ste relaxed completely as he laughed and joined Doug in getting ready to start the painting. "Come on, there must be some girls."

"As if. Im not exactly Dodger or Riley."

"Aren't there any girls you find fit in the village?" Ste was so glad he and Doug were comfortable enough to discuss relationships. He was a bit worried that Doug would be hesitant since Ste was gay.

"Nah not really. I mean, there are some beautiful women but no one really stands out for me."

"Do you still miss Bex?"

Doug tensed slightly. Ste noticed. "Im sorry, I shouldn't have brought her up."

"No its fine. I do miss her. You must miss Rae."

"Yeah course, but it's different 'cos you were in love with Bex."

"Yeah I loved her but I don't know if im in love with her anymore. It's hard to explain but I was able to let her go. I wouldn't have been able to if she was the love of my life. Im young. Im sure there will be someone else. I feel quite bad for saying that now. Sorry Bex." Doug looked up to the ceiling, as if he was talking to her. "Though I wasn't the love of her life either so I don't think she'll mind."

There was a bit of an awkward silence after Doug poured out his thoughts on Bex as Ste and Doug began to paint a wall each. Doug broke the silence as he turned the conversation to Ste. "So, any guys caught your eye then Ste?"

Ste laughed incredulously. "There aren't many gays in this village for me to fancy, Doug."

"Well if you had to turn someone in the village gay, who would it be?"

Ste thought for a moment. He knew what he wanted to say but maybe it would make things a bit weird. Well Doug was fine with it earlier…

"You."

"Me!"

"Yeah."

"Why me?" Doug laughed.

Ste let out the breath he didn't realise he was holding when he heard Doug laugh. "Well you're a nice guy. And it would be easier to get up for work in the morning if it involved seeing your boyfriend."

"That's true. Thank you. Im honoured," Doug chuckled.

"Well it would be easier if you were gay Doug."

Doug stopped painting and turned to Ste confused. "Why?"

Ste noticed that the sound of Doug's paintbrush had stopped and he too turned around. His mind turned like clockwork as he tried to figure out how to say what he was thinking. He hadn't meant to say that but now he had he couldn't take it back. "Well, as I said, I would be after you if you were gay and then if you liked me too then we could go out, solving our relationship problems." Ste watched Doug's face as he took in what he had said. Doug just shrugged and smiled.

"Yeah I guess you're right." Then he turned back to painting the wall.

Ste let out a sigh of relief. That could have been awkward. Suddenly he remembered that he had boiled the kettle ages ago but never made the tea. "My tea!" he exclaimed, causing Doug to jump. "I'll need to go boil the kettle again. Do you want some Doug?"

"Please. Thanks Ste." Doug smiled at the wall as he laughed internally at Ste's weird solution to their relationship problems. He's not wrong though, Doug thought; If I was gay Ste would be the perfect guy. He then shook the thought out of his head as he dipped his brush in the paint again.

Ste stayed beside the kettle this time and he watched it boil. He started humming slightly as he thought over the conversation he had just had with Doug. He stopped humming and stood up straighter as realisation kicked in.

"Did I just try and convince Doug to be gay with me?" he whispered.

"Did you say something Ste?" Doug called as he climbed up the stepladder to get the top of the wall.

"No! Nothin'!" Ste replied hurriedly as he continued to make the tea.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: Don't own Hollyoaks.

Doug sighed into his beer as he thought back on the events of the day. He regretted asking Dennis and Leanne for help. All they had done had caused Doug embarrassment. He had completely freaked out when Ste stroked his face. Not because Ste was gay, but because the contact had stirred something inside Doug and he had been so close to turning and kissing Ste. Ste who was his best friend, his business partner. Ste who was emerging from men's room in The Dog and heading towards him, swaying slightly. Doug looked confused as he looked at the six beer bottles in front of him, five of which were empty. Doug looked at the bottle in his hand. This is his second, which meant the other four were Ste's. How had that happened?

"Hello Darling!" Ste sang as he returned to his seat at the bar.

"Ste how drunk are you?"

"Not very." he smiled as he swayed lightly, holding onto the bar to keep himself steady.

"Okay whatever you say!" Doug laughed as he raised his beer to his lips. If you can't beat them, join them.

"Dougie,"

"Yes Ste."

"Your face is soft."

Doug nearly choked on his beer. "What?!" he laughed.

"When I stroked your face earlier, it was soft." Ste said calmly, as if he told his friends they had soft skin every day.

"Okay, thank you."

"You're welcome." Ste called over the barman and ordered another beer.

The pair sat in silence for a while, caught up in their own thoughts as they sipped their beers. Doug smiled to himself as he heard Ste humming beside him and his mind slipped back to earlier in the afternoon. He replayed the interaction between himself and Ste as they carried out Leanne's crazy role-play idea. Doug tried not to smile as he remembered that Ste called him beautiful. He was pretending to be someone else. He didn't actually think that Doug was beautiful. Did he? They had a conversation a couple of days ago, before _that_ hug, and Ste had told Doug that he would go out with him if he were gay. But Doug wasn't gay. His mind was just confused. Yes, he had felt something when Ste hugged him, yes, he had butterflies in his stomach when Ste called him beautiful, yes, he had wanted to kiss him when they were standing so close and Ste's hand was caressing his cheek. But he did not have feelings for Ste. He was just confused right now.

Doug turned to look at Ste who was playing with his bottle of beer, pretending it was an aeroplane. He watched Ste's childish antics and smiled. He watched Ste's gorgeous blue eyes as they followed the 'aeroplane' and he snuck a glance at his lips, full and red, as they made whooshing noises. Okay so maybe he did have feelings for Ste.

Suddenly Ste turned to face Doug and put down his bottle. "Amy bought me new aftershave yesterday," Ste said unexpectedly. "It smells really good! Smell it Doug."

Ste turned ninety degrees away from Doug and angled his head back so his neck was exposed as he signalled for Doug to smell his new aftershave. Doug couldn't resist and he leaned towards Ste so that his nose was millimetres away from Ste's neck. The aftershave did smell amazing. Before he had time to pull away completely, something else had popped into Ste's intoxicated mind and he turned towards Doug to tell him. Suddenly, Doug's lips collided with Ste's cheek.

They sprang away from each other as soon as they felt the contact. They stared at each other, eyes wide, before Doug turned bright red and began stuttering an apology. "Oh my- oh my god, Ste! I am so, so sorry I never meant to kiss you!"

Ste looked at Doug open mouthed for a few more seconds before he burst out laughing. Now it was Doug's turn to look on in shock. "Why are you laughing?"

"Your face!" Ste was now laughing hysterically and found it hard to get the words out.

"What about it?" Doug asked offended.

Ste wiped a tear from his eye as he started breathing normally again. "Oh Doug." He giggled. "I knew it wouldn't be long before you were hitting on me."

Doug immediately panicked and his face went beetroot red. Ste noticed and realised Doug thought he was being serious. "Im joking Doug! I know it was an accident." Doug slowly returned to his natural colouring and he mumbled into his beer.

Time passed by and Ste and Doug sat side by side in a slightly awkward silence, sipping on their drinks. Ste had started humming again though this time it progressed to singing and Ste got louder and louder until he was dangerously close to singing at the top of his voice.

"Ste do you think maybe its time to go home?" Doug interrupted Ste in the middle of Party in the USA.

"Yeah that's probably a good idea. Amy will be wondering where I am!" Ste slurred, staggering slightly as he got down from his stool."

"Woah there. You okay there?" Doug held onto Ste's arm to steady him, trying to ignore the feeling in his stomach.

"Yeah I'm good. Ta Doug."

They left the bar and Doug walked Ste home. Doug had to shepherd Ste towards his home as he sometimes strayed in the wrong direction. When they arrived outside Ste's building Doug insisted on walking him to his door just to make sure he was okay.

"Thanks Doug. Tonight was fun." Ste smiled at Doug and Doug found himself grinning back. They were standing quite close together in the small corridor and Doug found himself staring at Ste as he tried to get his key to fit in the lock. In Ste's drunken state, he struggled and the keys slipped from his hand. The sound of the keys hitting the ground snapped Doug back into reality and he crouched down to retrieve them for Ste without a second thought. However Doug forgot how close they had been standing until his head brushed over Ste's crotch area. Embarrassed out of his mind and slightly turned on, Doug grabbed the fallen keys and held them out to Ste. He felt like his whole body was on fire. Doug avoided eye contact with him as Ste took the keys gently and whispered a thank you.

Doug glanced up at Ste slightly before rushing a 'goodnight' and practically running from the building, leaving Ste watching after him. Once he was outside Doug put his head in his hands and groaned. How awkward was that?! He just felt up his best friend with his head! His gay best friend who he secretly fancied the hell out of.

Doug stood for a couple of moments, breathing in and out to try and calm himself down. Anyway, he thought, Ste was so drunk he'll have forgotten by tomorrow. He repeated this to himself as he walked back to his flat. "Yeah, Ste will never remember."

Ste watched in silence as Doug walked quickly away. He was in shock. He wasn't laughing like he had earlier when Doug had accidentally kissed him. Maybe because this time Ste had a slightly more obvious reaction. He bit his lip as he opened his door easily this time, recent events seeming to have sobered him up momentarily. His mind returned to the recent contact between himself and Doug as he stumbled into his flat. Doug's head had been at his… you know. Ste smiled to himself. Well he wasn't going to forget that in a hurry.


	3. Chapter 3

_Disclaimer: Don't own Hollyoaks _

_A/N- This is set in the week where Ste and Doug tried to take their relationship to the next level. Im not completely happy with this chapter. I got stumped near the end._

**The Awkward Conversation Chapter 3**

By the time Ste and Doug sat down that evening they were tired, their bodies ached and it was way past their bedtime. Doug had popped round to visit Ste earlier in the evening and had found himself agreeing to look after the kids with Ste while Amy went out with Michaela. He figured it would be no bother and then they could sit and 'chat' for a while after Leah and Lucas went to bed.

Not that they would go far. They hadn't reached that point in their relationship yet. Ste had mentioned it a couple of times but this was all new to Doug and he felt quite self-conscious. Their time would come.

"I have never been so tired," Ste yawned.

"I know what you mean," Doug said as he rubbed his eyes. "I feel like I've been run over by a truck."

"I blame Michaela. She was looking after them during the day and she fed them nothing but sweets and fizzy juice."

Doug turned his head to look at Ste. He was rubbing his hands over his face and looked extremely dishevelled. They both did. Ste noticed that Doug was watching him and looked back at him. "At least we got to spend time together, eh?" Ste smiled. "Yeah. That made it worthwhile." Doug smirked at Ste before leaning over to kiss his lips.

Their time alone didn't last long as Amy stumbled in the door a couple of seconds later. They gave each other the 'this isn't over' look before getting up to check on Amy, who was now singing in the kitchen- clearly off her face.

"Amy!" Ste whispered. "The kids are sleeping!"

"Oops! Sorry Steeeee!" she sang, mock whisper. "So what have you boys been up to?" Amy looked Ste and Doug up and down, taking in their messy state. Ste's polo shirt had the buttons undone and was slightly creased. His hair was flat and he was missing a sock. Doug had his cardigan off one shoulder and his t-shirt was messed up. Doug's hair was sticking up at all angles…kind of like…sex hair. Having no idea of the ordeal Ste and Doug had trying to get Leah and Lucas to go to bed, Amy's drunken mind immediately jumped to the wrong conclusion.

"Ohhhhh! I know what you's have been up to!" She winked at Ste. "Now that was a bold move with the kids in the house but I'll let you off since I know you had been planning this for the past couple of days!" Amy staggered towards the couch laughing as Ste and Doug watched her, confused. Then Ste clicked and stared open mouthed at Amy.

"No! No Amy we weren't-"

"I understand sometimes you just get caught up in the moment! So did yous have fun? Was Ste gentle on you Doug? I know you're new to this gay stuff! Though I'm sure- as you know- that it's worth it. Ste is an animal in bed!"

By now Doug had caught on and was mortified. "Amy! Amy! No we haven't- oh my god."

Ste was standing behind Doug signalling for Amy to shut up. He was having no luck, Amy was so drunk that she was getting near the point of passing out, but somehow she still managed to ramble on.

"I remember that time- Ste do you remember?- when he did this thing on my neck. Oh it felt so good! Did he do that to you too? This is so exciting! We can meet up and swap notes!"

Ste had now given up and was sitting on the coffee table with his head in his hands repeating "Amy shut up, Amy shut up," over and over again. Doug didn't know whether to laugh or cry in embarrassment. He couldn't even look at Ste.

"You know what? I have to get home. Leanne needs me to read her a bed time story." Doug interrupted as he grabbed his jacket and headed for the door. He risked a glance back at Ste who was whispering "I'm so sorry!" to him. Doug gave him an understanding smile and quickly left.

"Bye Doug! I'll see you soon I'm sure!" Amy called, unfazed as she stretched and headed for her room. "Night Ste."

"Oi! Come back here a minute," Ste pulled Amy back into the living room. "You idiot Amy! Me and Doug didn't do anything! We spent the whole night trying to get our hyper kids to bed and we had only sat down when you came in!"

"Oh I'm sure you did Ste. Goodnight. Sleep tight." Amy laughed as she staggered into her room. Ste watched her, frustrated, before walking into his own room and collapsing on his bed. "That was so embarrassing! Doug is never going to speak to me again!"


End file.
